Ethereum Foundation aims for post-quantum upgrade by December 2028

Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake has announced an ambitious new timeline, setting December 2028 as the target for Ethereum’s transition to post-quantum and post-artificial intelligence security. This revised goal accelerates efforts by a year compared to the foundation’s previously established December 2029 quantum-resistance deadline.

Accelerated roadmap for quantum and AI resistance

During his presentation at Devcon 8 in Mumbai, Drake stated that Ethereum developers plan to complete the post-quantum and post-AI transformation within the next four and a half years. He highlighted the importance of achieving these upgrades ahead of advancing quantum computing and artificial intelligence threats.

Drake explained that, under the new plan, the Ethereum developer community has 24 months to roll out another three major network upgrades. These upgrades are considered critical steps toward ensuring Ethereum’s resilience against future technological risks.

“Our hope is that by December 2028 we’ll be able to wrap up the full post-quantum and post-AI transition,” Drake said during his talk, emphasizing the urgency for progress.

The foundation’s official roadmap, introduced in September, currently sets December 2029 as the deadline for achieving quantum resistance across Ethereum’s execution, consensus, and data layers. Drake’s updated projection suggests the network could make this transition a year earlier, although the original roadmap remains in effect until a scheduled review in January 2027.

In August, Drake outlined steps toward realizing this goal, including making leanVM technology production-ready by 2027 and initiating post-quantum deployments across all major Ethereum layers in 2028.

Mini dictionary: Post-quantum transition refers to upgrading cryptographic protocols so they can withstand potential attacks by quantum computers, which are expected to break conventional digital security in the near future. Post-AI transition involves adapting blockchain security to counter emerging threats from AI-powered exploits.

Industry response and skepticism

Drake’s proposals have sparked discussion across the broader blockchain community. Some developers have questioned whether Ethereum can realistically achieve this compressed development schedule.

In October, the Starknet community expressed interest in pursuing independent post-quantum capabilities, with a significant portion supporting research into Starknet evolving as a post-quantum layer-1 blockchain. Starknet is a layer-2 scaling network built using zero-knowledge proofs.

StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson previously argued that Ethereum’s prior 2029 target was “too late,” warning that further delays could expose the network to critical vulnerabilities as quantum computing advances.

Discussions about Ethereum’s technology roadmap come as the network continues to delay other planned upgrades. Most recently, the foundation postponed the launch of the Glamsterdam Hoodi testnet due to newly identified security risks.

The Ethereum Foundation, an organization that develops and supports the Ethereum blockchain ecosystem, stated that it will reassess its timeline and strategy at its next scheduled review in January 2027.